The Salving House

Salving House Borrowdale
Salving House Borrowdale



Hut Bookings by non-members and Kindred Club members

Non-members may only be booked in by a member.

Kindred Club members may book in but do so by emailing the hut warden – Email warden

Location

The Salving House is the FRCC hut situated in the beautiful Borrowdale valley.

Hut Capacity and Facilities

The Salving House has been equipped with all the facilities the modern day climber / walker would expect. Good storage for food, also fridges, cookers, showers, etc.

The hut’s capacity: Female: Ten. Male: Fourteen.

Camping

No camping at the hut. Campsites are available in the area.

Nearest Telephone/Mobile Connection

The area does not lend itself to mobiles. Public phones are located near to The Salving House.

Facilities in the area

The Flock Inn cafe up the road sells some food and farm produced fresh meet. Keswick is the next best location for food, supermarkets, shops, etc.

Pubs and dining out: Across the road we have the Scafell Hotel. They cater for hikers in the public bar, snacks, bar meals. In the hotel you can choose from a full menu. Lots of cafes in the area for afternoon teas, etc.

Bus services (78 and 77/77A) run from Keswick through Rosthwaite on a daily basis. Please check times on the Traveline or Stage Coach websites.

Climbing and Walking

There is no shortage of climbing crags in the Borrowdale area, Fine classic crags, Shepherds Crag, Black Crag, Eagle Crag, Gillercombe Buttress, to name a few. Routes of all grades to keep you content for many an hour. Walking from the hut can take you to some of the finest tops. The Scafells, Great Gable, Dale Head, Glaramara and many more. On those wet days, when you don’t feel like venturing onto the high tops, the walks from the hut are endless.

History

The Salving House was purchased in 1951. The purchase of the freehold was completed on 4th June 1952. It had been in use as a cafe so some services were already installed although electricity had not yet reached that part of Borrowdale. Heating was by means of a black stove in the middle of the floor and cooking by calor gas. The main door which opened straight on to the road was blocked up and replaced by a window, and the back door became the main entrance. Washing facilities were simple with just one toilet and one washbowl in each tiny washroom and the kitchen was a narrow galley.

The hut was officially opened on Whit Monday 3rd June 1953.

Later a fireplace was built, electricity was installed in 1958 and in 1980 the kitchen extension was built and a new, enlarged kitchen equipped. There have also been considerable improvements to the washrooms to bring it up to modern day standards.

The name “Salving” came from salve, a practice in Cumbria in the 16th century, to salve sheep. This was a form of the modern day sheep dipping. It was a mixture of tar, and rancid butter, and was rubbed into the fleece. A farmer would only do about dozen sheep a day, his pay was about two pence a day.